A Study in Blue and Bronze
by Story Please
Summary: Severus Snape is Sorted into Ravenclaw. Life ensues.


**Author's Note:** **I was asked what would have been different if Severus became Head of Ravenclaw, all other things in canon remaining (roughly) the same. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Study in Blue and Bronze**

In the struggle between power and knowledge, knowledge won out. The Hat screamed out "RAVENCLAW!" before Severus could try to think out the merits between the benefits of the two houses, respectively.

The Sorting Hat chuckled. "That's how I knew to put you in blue and bronze."

Severus shrugged as the blond-haired Slytherin prefect arched an eyebrow at him from across the room. His mother had made a floo call to the Malfoy house, then. Oh well. Lucius Malfoy may not be in Ravenclaw House, but there was still the Slug Club, and it was well-known that Slughorn favored scholars.

Severus always appreciated a challenge.

* * *

Oddly enough, even though Lily was a Gryffindor, the Ravenclaw Door Knocker would allow her in as long as she answered its riddle correctly. And Severus loved the Ravenclaw dorms, for they were sectioned out individually for each student. Sure, they weren't the plush accommodations in Slytherin House or the comfortable commons of Gryffindor. It was like a monk's study- only enough room for a bed, a desk and a tall, narrow window that looked out over the Black Lake and forest below, but to Severus, it was more than he could have hoped for. The ceiling was spelled to look like the night sky, similarly to the Great Hall, and Severus found it easy to fall asleep every night watching the stars wheel their way through the sky.

* * *

No one cared about his half-bloodedness. Ravenclaws in general didn't seem to care much about anything other than results. For the first time in his life, Severus was making friends based on his own merits- his intelligence, his cleverness, his wit. These were the things he valued in himself, and to see others value them as well filled him with pride.

* * *

Severus found himself invited to Slug Club in the second half of his first year, which was a record according to Slughorn, who would not stop reminding him of this fact. Severus didn't mind, though. Lucius was visibly impressed by this, and this was a good sign, especially since Severus knew that Lucius had the connections that might get him into a Mastery program...and possibly even his secret ambition- as an Unspeakable at the Ministry.

* * *

"It's like you don't even care that your spell experimentation might hurt someone!" Lily screamed at him, throwing his Advanced Potions textbook at him.

Marlene was in the infirmary after Severus had healed the damage with the countercurse. Madam Pomfrey had been puzzled how a girl could lose so much blood without any external wounds, and Marlene was refusing to say anything about it.

"I think I ought to be the one to ask _you_ that, Lily!" Severus roared back, his fists shaking as they dug into the leather binding of the book. "Why the hell would you use an unknown spell on a friend without first testing it out on something inanimate?! Are you _completely_ stupid?!"

Lily stepped back as though she'd been slapped, guilty tears darkening her cheeks. "Your _Levicorpus_ was fine to use! I thought this was another prank hex!"

"Oh, so _you_ were the one who taught that to all of Gryffindor Tower?" Severus hissed back. "I must admit, I was curious as to how Potter and his goons had figured out how to curse me with _my own spell_."

"You didn't say I couldn't use them!" Lily retorted. "I just wanted to have some fun."

"Fun?! _FUN_!? Well? Are you having _fun_ now, Lily? Are you!?" Severus snarled.

Lily stared at the floor dejectedly. "It's your fault for dabbling in Dark magic, Sev! I wouldn't have tried it if I didn't see it in your book-"

"Fine. Well if you can't even maintain the self-control of a toddler and refrain from trying every single spell you read about in a book and teaching them to everyone within earshot, then consider yourself banned from borrowing my textbooks ever again, you two-faced bitch." Severus covered his mouth as the last word escaped his lips, but it was too late.

Lily looked outraged. "Fine! Don't expect my help in Potions anymore, Snape."

"Whatever, Evans," Severus replied, crossing his arms and turning away from her.

When he turned back around, she was gone.

It was the last time they'd ever speak to each other.

* * *

Severus felt as though he'd been tricked into joining the Death Eaters. He hadn't even known that Luicus had invited him to his initiation until he'd been held down and branded like an animal. He couldn't tell anyone- the Ministry had passed legislation that decreed that being found having a Death Eater tattoo was synonymous with an instant Kiss from a dementor.

The only logical thing to do was to survive.

And Severus was good at surviving.

* * *

This was his last chance.

His potions and his spells had only made him marginally useful, but the Dark Lord wanted more. He always wanted more. If he couldn't become a spy, he was going to become target practice for Bellatrix Lestrange.

Now _there_ was a motivation if ever there was one.

He hadn't meant to hear the prophecy, but it had fallen into his lap. It was knowledge. And as a Ravenclaw, Severus knew better than most about how knowledge of this nature was indistinguishable from power.

* * *

It was over. Well, it was over for the time being, but it would never really be over, not really.

Severus had done the logical thing in the end. He'd turned traitor, gone to Dumbledore, and the rest was history.

"I should have expected this, seeing as your House isn't known much for its loyalty," Dumbledore had said, which had hurt Severus more than the old man would ever know. "Knowledge is always the highest pursuit for your lot, despite the people who get hurt in the process of actually living."

Severus had taken his lumps. He knew he deserved it for the danger he was putting others in. After all, hadn't he told Lily all those years ago that she was an idiot for jumping in and doing something potentially life-threatening to others without testing it first?

Flitwick was overjoyed to give up having to be Head of Ravenclaw House. He'd been Charms professor and Head of Ravenclaw for years and it had not improved his stress levels. He was promoted to Official Hogwarts Club Manager instead, which was something he was excited to do, as the post had remained empty for years. Slytherin House, on the other hand, was to be headed by none other than Lucius Malfoy, who'd also made a deal with Dumbledore involving an Unbreakable Vow, if the rumors were to be believed. Ironically, Malfoy was being hired to teach Care of Magical Creatures, despite having been practically stampeded on by hippogriffs in his seventh year because he stupidly refused to bow to one of the creatures. Well. He wouldn't be doing anything like _that_ anytime soon if he wanted to keep his fabulous hair.

Severus had not been forced to make a Vow, though. He wondered, then, if Dumbledore had been completely honest with him about how little he trusted him.

* * *

Severus did have his Potions mastery, so there was that. It made logical sense as an alibi when the Dark Lord returned. He'd always been good at Potions, so it was not exactly a surprise to find himself given the post after Slughorn retired. Teaching Potions to first years, on the other hand, was another story. The dunderheads were barely dim on a good day. Sure, there were individuals who stood out, but then again, there always were.

There were good days and bad days and worse days and abysmal days. Luckily, Lucius and Minerva were just as dry-witted and full of spite at the various idiots and their idiocy as Severus was.

Life wasn't perfect, but in Ravenclaw Tower, Severus could look up at the night sky in his ceiling and watch the peaceful stars spinning across the sky and feel a sense of knowing that all of this- the pain, the suffering, the waiting- was simply transient.

It was too bad that the same went for all the good times as well.


End file.
